Why is titration important?

A:

Quick Answer

According to the Chemical Education Digital Library, titration is important because it helps determine the unknown concentration of a reactant. It is a laboratory method generally used in analytical chemistry, and it involves gradually adding one solution to another until the chemical amount of the reactant being added stoichiometrically matches the amount of the other reactant in the solution.

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The Chemical Education Digital Library explains that an indicator is typically used in titration to determine the endpoint of a reaction. After finding the endpoint volume, the concentration of the unknown is then determined. Titration is a delicate procedure that entails patience and careful observation, and it is important to choose indicators properly. Indicators are chosen based on pH at the equivalence point of the two reagents. Examples of real-world applications of titration are in developing new pharmaceuticals and determining unknown concentrations of chemicals of interest in blood and urine.

According to the BBC, titration is used to measure the volume of a solution that reacts exactly with another solution. This method is important in checking for purity in samples of chemicals that are synthesized. Some synthesized chemical compounds, such as pharmaceuticals, need to have a high level of purity because a small impurity can greatly harm a patient.